


Smoke it flies

by multifandomhoodies



Series: Sparks (Wildland fire AU) [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Firefighters, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Poe and Finn both independently work through issues and that's growth baby, Poe loves ABBA, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, Wildland Fire AU, jessika pava teases poe mercilessly for being a Huge Nerd, poe and finn and friends are all hotshots, squad dynamics, they're all so cool tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28617987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multifandomhoodies/pseuds/multifandomhoodies
Summary: A new recruit from Kalluran Smokejumpers, Finn Everson joins the Bespin Hotshots out of Yavin National Forest. There, he meets the Bespin Hotshot Crew, including their hopeful new squad boss, Poe Dameron. He and Poe work through some troubles of their own and find something new out of it.Wildland Fire AU, set after Impact but that's not necessary to understand this.
Relationships: Finn & Jannah (Star Wars), Finn & Jessika Pava, Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Finn & Rose Tico, Finn & Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Poe Dameron & Jessika Pava, Poe Dameron & Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Poe Dameron/Finn
Series: Sparks (Wildland fire AU) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1874434
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	Smoke it flies

**Author's Note:**

> I started this in February of 2020 and I'm only just now done with it. I stopped writing for a while because the world fell apart and I got busy with work. I'm not a firefighter, so there's probably a lot of errors. I did my best! Wildland firefighting is absolutely FASCINATING and I think it's the coolest thing. Creative liberties were definitely taken with this fic though. Title is from "This Empty Northern Hemisphere" by Gregory Alan Isakov. Here's a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5WeW2LkAhLvoTauPaM3gnt)
> 
> Some fire definitions  
> Hotshot - type of elite wildland firefighter who is trained to work in remote areas of fires  
> Smokejumper - wildland firefighter that parachutes down into areas where there are fires  
> Pulaski - type of axe  
> Sawyer - main job is using chainsaw to cut down trees/bushes  
> Swamper - person who moves the stuff the sawyer cuts  
> Fireline - the ground that gets dug out from around a fire to contain it

There were few things Poe Dameron loved more than a fire. Fire was the way of life in his family. His mom had been a smokejumper for years, then after she retired from that, she turned to regular firefighting. His dad had always worked as a firefighter as well. It was in his blood, and he loved it. There was something about a wildfire that just made him feel something. Insignificant. In awe. The adrenaline he got from working in them? Unparalleled. There was nothing else like it. So that meant every year before fire season started, he’d get antsy. He’d been working in fire now for over ten years, but it was the same every year. He _loved_ it. 

“Hey, Poe! Stop standing there with a thumb up your ass and help us pack!” Jessika yelled from the bay, disrupting Poe’s thoughts. 

“Fuck off, Pava!” Poe yelled back, crossing another thing off of his checklist. He grabbed his pack bag off the floor and walked it into the bay. Jess made a face when he set it down with the rest of the packs. 

“You’re not leaving it there. Swear to _God_ , Poe if you leave it there, I’m going to drop a tree on you.” 

“Sorry Jess. I’ve got to meet with Leia, there’s a new guy coming in later.” 

“I’m dropping a tree on you.”

“Thank you.” Poe gave her a saccharine smile that faded into a genuine smile. Jess rolled her eyes, but tossed his bag in the truck. 

“Hey, Leia, you said you wanted to see me?” Poe walked into her office. She nodded. “Poe, I’d like you to meet Finn Everson. He’s the new recruit from Kalluran Smokejumper Base that I told you about.” 

“Oh! I thought he was going to be here later. Nice to meet you anyways. I’m Poe Dameron.” Poe offered his hand to the handsome man standing next to Leia’s desk. He took it. “Finn.” “Nice to meet you, Finn. Welcome to the Bespin Hotshot crew.” He said with a smile. 

Something about Finn looked familiar, like they’d met before or something. Poe couldn’t put his finger on it, but he seemed familiar. He also was gorgeous, which didn’t help things. 

“I told him that you would show him around, introduce him to the crew, and all that nonsense. Poe here is hopefully our new B squad boss, so you’re in relatively good hands. He’s good at staying out of trouble when he wants to.” 

Poe chuckled. “Thanks Leia.” Leia was friends with his parents, so he’d grown up with her around and she never wasted an opportunity to tease him. She looked out for him though, and was a good supervisor. 

“Shall we?” Poe asked Finn, who nodded. 

“So, that’s Leia.” Poe said once they were out of the office, letting the door close behind them. “You were a smokejumper, huh?” 

“Yeah. Did it for five years. I only stopped because I got hurt. I miss it.” 

“That’s some tough shit.” Poe wasn’t going to ask what happened. He knew this line of work was dangerous, but if Finn was able to qualify for a hotshot crew, he had to be fine. “I used to fly them sometimes.” 

“Oh really? Did you ever fly anyone from Kalluran?” Finn asked. 

“Maybe? They had me all over. I might have.” 

“Cool stuff man.” 

“Hey, Jess. This is Finn Everson, he’s the new guy from Kalluran. Finn, this is Jessika Pava, our lead sawyer.” Jess shook Finn’s hand. “Oh, yeah? The smokejumper? That shit’s awesome.” 

Poe introduced Finn to the rest of the crew. “Kare’s our lead pulaski, she’s also Snap’s wife. Snap’s our medic, and L'ulo is our swamper and B squad boss.” They all seemed to like Finn, which was good. 

“So, what was it like, smokejumping?” Kare asked. She was sitting on the steps of the truck. They’d all gathered around in the bay amidst the packs and supplies to help Jess load them into the truck and talk to Finn. 

“It was incredible. There’s nothing like jumping out of a plane and feeling the cool wind on your face for a moment, then your parachute opens and you’re suddenly in action mode. The couple seconds of free fall were my favorite part every time.” 

“That’s so cool but personally? Fuck that.” Jess snorted. “That sounds terrifying.” 

Finn grinned. “It is, just a little bit. But it’s amazing.” 

They packed the rest of the gear, did equipment checks, and talked and got to know Finn better than afternoon. 

“Bespin Hotshots, do you copy?” 

“Bespin command, we copy.” Poe couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. Jess, who was sitting next to him, rolled her eyes. “We’re en route to Endor National Forest, estimated arrival time is 21:30.” 

“Alright, safe travels!” Rose said cheerfully. 

Poe shifted the truck into drive, and honked the horn a couple times. Jess smacked his arm. “Poe, shut the fuck up and let us leave without being obnoxious.” Poe just grinned at her, excited for the first trip for the season.

He took the first couple hours of driving, watching as the landscape changed. Bespin was pretty flat, with a lot of prairie grass and shorter trees. Endor, however, had massive trees. Poe’d been there a couple times before. The trees were ancient and massive. The undergrowth was thick and tall, unless it was already burned. 

He started whistling after two hours in. Jess opened her eyes to glare at him. “If you’re whistling, I’m out.” Poe sighed. “Fine, then talk to me.” 

“I want to take a nap.” 

“Anyone wanna switch with Jess? Keep me company while I drive or at least let me whistle?” Poe glanced in the rearview. Half the crew was asleep, and Kare and Snap had their heads together and were deep in discussion. Finn looked up. “I will? I don’t mind.” 

Jess turned and smiled. “Thanks buddy. Just as a warning, he loves ABBA.” 

“ABBA is good, Jess.” 

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, you gay disaster.” She turned back and grinned at Poe. She and Poe had known each other for years now, working together and being friends. They were like siblings and took every opportunity to harass each other. 

He shook his head. “There’s a pull off coming up, if you’re ready to switch now, or there’s one a couple miles from here, Finn.” 

Finn grabbed his bag. “I can move now.” Poe eased the crew hauler off the road and into the pull off. Jess hopped out, and a moment after Finn was getting into the front and in the rearview Jess was carefully shifting past a sleeping L'ulo to take Finn’s seat.

“I was getting kind of bored back there, if I’m going to be honest.” Finn said as he clicked his seatbelt into place. 

“I don’t blame you,” Poe chuckled, putting the truck back in gear and getting back on the road. “Everyone will get some sleep in now and then in a couple hours everyone will be talking and making things interesting.” 

“How long have you been with this crew?”

“Six years, but I’ve known most of them for longer. I’ve known Jess since we were cadets in fire training and I’ve known Snap since my first day on a fire.”

“Sounds like you guys all go way back.” 

“A little bit, yeah. But don’t worry, you’re one of us now. I’m sure you had this with your smokejumpers, but we look out for each other.”

“Thanks. We really did look out for each other.” Finn looked out the window briefly. “They’re all really happy that I joined this crew.”

“Good! That’s the way it should be.” 

“So when’d you stop being a pilot? If you don’t mind me asking.” Finn asked. 

“Six years ago. I was a good pilot, but Leia wanted me on the ground because she saw more room for me to move up in leadership here than in aerial. I took it, and I don’t really regret it but I do miss flying.” 

“I get that. I think I’m going to like this, but I think a part of me will miss jumping.” 

Poe nodded, considering it, then he snorted. “Hey, at least there’s two of us missing aerial attack.” 

Finn laughed. “That is true.” 

Finn’s laugh was a nice sound, and Poe immediately couldn’t help but hope to hear it more.  
“So I know you have some cool stories, care to share any?” Finn grinned. “Oh, absolutely.” 

Poe and Finn spent the next few hours sharing stories, Finn telling him about the getting treed and having a squirrel jump on him, Poe telling him about the time he accidentally dropped water on Snap’s crew without realizing it. 

“Hey, Po’boy, we need a bathroom break.” Snap said, interrupting one of Finn’s stories. Poe glanced at the radio clock. “Alright. And we might as well switch drivers too, because I’m getting tired.” 

“Okay. Sorry to interrupt, Finn.”

“Po’boy?” Finn chuckled quietly. 

“Snap thinks he’s funny.” Poe snorted. “Anyways, why don’t you finish up your story before we find a place to stop?” 

Snap took over driving after the rest stop, and Karé switched seats with Finn to sit with Snap upfront. Poe settled in for a nap. 

Finn sent a brief text to Rey and Jannah. They were probably training or busy too, but at least they’d see his text at some point. He told him that the new crew was cool and that he liked everyone there, and to not worry about him. He also told them to jump straight and be safe. He put his phone back in his pocket and glanced around. Poe shifted in Snap’s seat, trying to get comfortable. 

It was weird. It was like he was familiar. Finn had run into a lot of different people on fires, but Finn couldn’t place him. There’s the possibility that he could have piloted a plane that Finn was on. Especially because Poe had said that he may have flown smokejumpers before. It was definitely a possibility.

It helped matters though, that Poe was very kind. And he was very friendly and funny. And hot, too. His whole face lit up when he smiled. Finn loved the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled or laughed and he wanted to see it more. Poe shuffled a bit more and pulled his hood over his face. Finn realized he’d been staring and dropped his eyes. He shifted his glance to look out the window. They still had a couple more hours of driving. They’d only been on the road for five hours, and they still had three more. He sighed and leaned his head back against the seat.

When he woke up, the others were up too. Jess and Poe were playing a game of cards, and Poe was eating a pack of fruit snacks. Poe glanced up at him when he stretched. “Oh, hey, you’re up!”

“Yeah.” Finn yawned. “What are you guys playing?” 

“Rummy. Want us to deal you in?” Poe tossed him a bag of fruit snacks, which he caught easily. 

“Uh, sure.” 

“Poe’s good at this, just as a warning.” Jess dropped her cards and sighed. “He’s ahead by 300 points.”

“Uh, maybe not then.” Finn laughed. Next to him, L'ulo snorted. “You’re right on that. Poe’s a menace when it comes to this game.” 

Poe shook his head. “He’s just grumpy because I’ve won so many times.” 

“Oh, are we talking about Poe’s annoying ability to win at rummy?” Karé turned around from the front. “The only one that can beat him so far is Leia. And Snap, that one time.” 

Poe set down another rummy. “Thanks for the compliments, guys.” 

“Okay, that’s it.” Jess dropped her cards. 

“How much did he beat you by, Jessie?” Karé asked. 

Jess shuffled back into her seat, pulling her hood over her face and pulling it tight. 

“Another three hundred points.” Poe said smugly. The crew carrier erupted in a sympathetic ooh for Jess and her losing game. 

“You’re in the wrong career, Po’boy.” Snap shook his head. The GPS chirped. “Only about another hour and a half folks.”

“I’m done with cards.” Jess sighed, her face still covered by her hood. Poe leaned across the aisle and grabbed her hoodie strings and tied them in a knot before she could swat him away. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be professional?” She managed to smack him before he could get away. 

“Supposedly, yes.” 

“Hey, Finn? You’re new here. This is normal. Unfortunately for the rest of us, this is all normal. Jess and Poe will constantly bother each other and it’s something we all must live with.” Karé shook her head, faking disappointment. A certain fondness was on her face. 

“You’ve got to have a good relationship with your crew, ya’know?” 

“Shut up, Poe. You’re setting a bad example for Finn.”

“I’m sorry Finn. I am a terrible example of professionalism sometimes.” 

“Sometimes? Try most times.” Karé called. 

Honestly, Finn was enjoying the antics of the group. “It’s okay, I understand that. I won’t judge you too much for it.” 

Poe grinned, wide and slow. “Thank you, Finn.” 

If Poe’s grin made Finn’s stomach flip, he tried not to show it. 

Endor National Forest was a gorgeous place. They’d been there a couple times for fires, but Poe’d never get sick of it. The forest was filled with massive trees and thick undergrowth. It meant for long days and a lot of time swamping. He’d taken over driving again, and Jess was next to him. She was radioing in with the A squad as well as the command on the fire to figure out where they were setting up their camp.

“Good news, everyone! We’re staying in a campground! And,” she paused for dramatic effect, “They have flush toilets!” 

“It’s gonna be a great season. We don’t have to shit in a hole our first fire.” Karé grinned. 

“Don’t curse us, Karé Kun-Wexley. We could get stuck in places without plumbing for the rest of the season.” 

Poe parked the truck in the row with all of the other crew vehicles. The crew was talking a lot, gathering up the last bits of personal gear before hopping out to get their gear. 

“You know the drill guys. Set up tents, put your personal gear in there, then report to me so I can tell command what’s up.” 

Finn caught his tent from Jess and set to work putting it up. Around him, the others set up their tents. Snap and Karé worked on putting up a single tent for both of them, which he thought was cute. Jess finished putting up her tent, which was a simple one pole and stake tent, and wandered over to Finn.

“Need any help?”

“Yeah. Could I get some light?” Finn asked. 

“Yeah, I’ve got you.” Jess snapped on her headlamp. “Hey man, I know that it can be weird joining a new crew, so I just want you to know that I’m always around. I joke around a lot and cuss too much but if you ever need anything, I’m here, okay?” 

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.” Finn put the last stake in the ground and stood up, and out of the beam of her headlamp before he looked at her. Her face was genuine, and he smiled. “Seriously, thanks.” 

“I’ve got you man. We all do.” She clapped a hand on his shoulder. “C’mon, let’s go find Poe before he loses his mind in excitement.” 

“He really loves this fire stuff. I thought I liked my job a lot.” Finn laughed. 

“He loves it so much! He’s like the biggest dork there is.” 

Karé and Snap finished setting up their tent. “Oh, are we talking about Poe?” Karé grinned. “Because Jess is right. He’ll act all cool and like he’s got his shit together, but that man is a dork for fires. And he only has his shit together when it matters.” 

“I feel obligated to tell you that he’s a really fantastic hotshot and he does everything he can to keep us safe and keep us going, but he really is a nerd.” Snap butted in. 

Finn shook his head. “I think he’s cool.”

Jess threw her hands in the air. “It’s okay that you think that. You’re new. You’ll see what we mean soon enough.” 

Poe was walking towards them from the direction of the crew haulers. “You guys all set up? I was just heading over to the command tents.” 

“Yep. We’re following you, Po’boy.” Snap clapped his shoulder. 

The command tent was lit up well against the darkening sky. The wildfire burned not too far in the distance, a reminder of why they were all there. It was full of command staff and crews from all over. Leia spotted them and walked over. “I just got done in the meeting. You guys are going to be on the line early tomorrow. We’ll brief over breakfast 4 am, and as soon as that’s done with you’re on the line, so get some sleep tonight. See you tomorrow, bright and early.” 

It wasn’t even bright when they woke up. Poe scrubbed at his face for a second before springing into action, pulling on his pants and putting on his bright yellow shirt. He laced up his boots as quickly as he could, and then grabbed his backpack and climbed out of his tent. His crew was getting ready too. Finn was the first out after him, and he smiled briefly at Poe.”Morning.” His attention was on the fire and the thick smell of smoke that lingered in the air. 

“Morning.” Poe returned the smile. “I’m going to head over to the tent, if you wanna come with me.” 

“Oh, sure.” 

“Thanks. I need some coffee.” Poe chuckled. 

“How can you possibly need coffee? The cold air at 4 in the morning isn’t enough to wake you up?” Finn teased. “If not that, the smell of smoke?” 

“It’s been a while since I’ve gotten up this early. I just need a few days worth of coffee in me and then I’m set for the rest of the season.” 

The main tent was crowded with crews eating breakfast. Leia stood off near the coffee, talking with a few squad bosses. Finn grabbed a plate and dumped a healthy amount of eggs and hashbrowns on his plate. He grabbed an orange juice and found an empty seat. Poe set his coffee down, and then went and got a plate. Finn watched as the rest of the crew came in the tent. Jess made a beeline for the coffee, and Karé said something to her that made Jess flip her the bird. Snap found Finn and gave him a wave. After they got their plates, they joined Finn at the table. 

“Hey, just as a warning, never get between Jess and her coffee in the morning. She’s very, very dangerous.” Karé grinned at him over her bagel. Jess grunted in response, dumping several sugar packets into her coffee. 

“She’s also trying to become a diabetic with the amount of sugar she puts in there.” Poe said, dropping into the seat next to Finn. 

“Fuck off. You do the same with the sugar.” Jess grumbled. She took a swig of coffee and shoveled a forkful of hashbrowns in. 

Leia walked over to their table. “Good morning folks. You’re going to be working on the line near some cabins. We have a break close because of the road, but we want to establish another one.” 

She put a legal pad on the table, and Poe pulled out a GPS to put in several coordinates. “You guys are going to have to hike up there. There’s roads, but we want to keep the engines and haulers here in case it spreads this way. The winds are supposed to be mild, but just pay attention in case they change. Main radio channel for me is channel 4, with main control is 2. I’ll be in contact if you need anything. Stay safe.” She patted Finn on the shoulder, smiled at them, and walked away. 

They settled into a rhythm as they always did on the fireline. Jess worked to cut trees, with L’ulo swamping, dragging and tossing debris out of the way and onto the other side of the line. Karé led the crew with her pulaski, swinging it and cutting the line, everyone else following. Poe quickly settled into the rhythm, the swing and drag of the tool, and the step. Swing, drag, step. There wasn’t any radio chatter, the winds were low and it was still cool morning temperatures that meant there wasn’t much fire activity going on above the fire itself. They were really working now to prevent the fire from spreading later, when winds were stronger and the temperatures were higher. 

Another crew came up to help them in the afternoon and brought them lunch. The squad sat in a small group in some shade of trees on the far side of the fireline and inhaled their food. “You know,” Jess started, “These Uncrustables are raviolis.” 

Karé lifted her head up from her pack to look at Jess. “No, they’re not.” 

“Yes, they are! They’re dough with stuff inside!” Jess took another bite of her Uncrustable. 

“I think that’s a really vague definition.” Finn said.

“What else counts as a ravioli then? That’s like saying that a Poptart is a ravioli.” Poe unscrewed his water bottle and took a sip. 

“A Poptart is a ravioli!” 

Finn shook his head. “I think you’re misled on what a ravioli is.” 

“Whatever. I’m gonna say it’s a ravioli. Hold on, let’s ask the other crew.”

“Jessika do _not_ -” Poe started but Jess already was sitting up and shouting in the direction of the other crew. “Hey, do you guys think an Uncrustable is a ravioli?” 

The other crew exchanged glances. “Hell yeah!” One of the crewmembers yelled back. His compatriots shook their heads at him. 

“See? I’m right.” Jess settled back against her pack, shit eating grin on her face.

Finn liked Jess. She had a tendency to lead the crew into stupid discussions about things and was grumpy as all hell in the mornings, but even from working with her for one day, he could tell that she was a good crewmate. She worked quickly and efficiently with her saw, and watched out for the others. 

Poe packed up his trash into the brown bag that his lunches had come in and shoved it into his pack bag. He wiped his hands on his pants then stood up. “I’m going to try to re-establish our credibility as a crew.” He put his bag back on, buckling it as he walked away. 

Karé sighed. “We should probably get back to it, too.” She sat up, put her pack on and stood up. Finn put his lunch bag back in his pack and pulled it on. Karé offered him a hand up, which he accepted. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” She smiled at him. 

Poe was talking with the other crew boss about the fire and any updates. He nodded to them. “We’re just going to keep cutting line, but winds are starting to pick up, so just stay alert.” 

They worked to cut the fireline until it was time for dinner. Another crew came up to relieve them, and they hiked back down to the base. Leia told them over dinner that they were done for the day, but they’d probably be working extra tomorrow and to get sleep. 

“It’s looking like it’s going to be hot and windy tomorrow. There’s going to be a lot more activity, which is what we’ve been thinking. We might have to have some people strike overnight, so rest up tonight. See you all tomorrow, same time.” Leia smiled at them. “Good job today.” 

“God, this is nice. Because we get a break now though, tomorrow’s going to be brutal.” Jess sat down outside her tent. 

“You’re probably right on that.” Poe sighed, sitting down next to her. “You’re still good on the overnight crew if need be, right?” 

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Jess took off her boots and put them upside down under the vestibule of her tent. 

Karé and Snap sat down next to Jess’s tent. “I’m good too, if need be.” Karé said. 

“We’re all down to do it if we have to, but who actually wouldn’t hate it?” Poe laughed. 

“Not me, preferably.” L’ulo said. “Too old for that.”

“L’ulo, you’re like 50.” 

“And?” 

“I don’t mind.” Finn said from where he was sitting, which was across from Jess’s tent. “I just need some coffee.” 

“That’s fair.” 

Finn tucked his knees up against his chest and wrapped his arms around them. 

“So, Finn. How’d you get into fire?” Poe asked. 

“I found out about it through a talk in high school. Some wildland firefighters came and gave a presentation at school. They opened with pictures from a fire, and almost from that I was hooked. And then hearing them talk about their jobs, I knew I wanted to do that. I did a young adults fire crew for two summers, volunteered at a firehouse, and then just started putting in applications senior year of high school. I got hired, somehow. And then I worked at Kalluran until halfway through last season. I got my degree in the off season, which worked really well.” 

“Hey! Fellow school talk!” Karé high fived him. “But mine was more trail crew based than fire.”

“What’d you major in?” Poe asked. 

“Fire science.” 

“Oh, same!” Poe grinned. 

“Wow, it’s almost like you both work in fire and it makes sense to have a degree in fire.” L’ulo shook his head. “Honestly.”

“L’ulo, you literally have an English degree.” 

“And? It doesn’t matter. Though I think a fire science degree would certainly help you become a squad boss, if not above that.” L’ulo gave Poe a pointed look. Poe’s face changed and he looked at the grass instead of anyone else, his good mood gone. 

“Anyways. Anyone got any good stories before we all have to go to sleep?” Jess broke the awkward silence before it went on too long. Karé grinned. “I do. I haven’t told you guys about what Snap did when his car broke down, have I?” 

The fire in Endor didn’t last too long. It only wound up being an eight day assignment, and at the end of the eight days, the crew headed back to Bespin for their two weeks off for rest and relaxation. There were a few days of easy hikes and relaxing, but then physical training loomed over them. 

Poe loved the long runs. He liked running with the crew. He was one of the faster runners, and usually was in the front. Karé was usually close behind him, but suddenly Finn was running with them, and he ran the same pace as Poe. 

“I have to disagree with Jess on this music. It’s really not that bad.” Finn grinned as he ran next to Poe. 

“Thank you! That is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell her.” 

The music that they were talking about was the ABBA that was playing from Poe’s speaker. Finn glanced over his shoulder to see Jess shaking her head. “It’s just too peppy!”

“They make sad songs too.” Poe grinned. Finn loved watching him smile. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and it was starting to make Finn’s heart rate speed up, something that had nothing to do with the fifth mile of their run. 

“ _Knowing Me, Knowing You_ is too peppy to be sad.” 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jess. You’re just wrong.” 

“I think it’s really funny that you and Jess are constantly having this argument.” Finn laughed. “You guys have it every time you drive and every time you listen to it on the runs.” 

“I mean, you don’t have a problem with it, right? Jess just wants to bully me about it.” 

“I wasn’t too sure at first. My only exposure was _Dancing Queen_ , but I’m starting to like it more.”

“I’m a fantastic influence on your life.” 

Finn laughed, more breathy than anything. “Wouldn’t go that far.”

“You like me though.” Poe glanced at him. His grin was wry, but there was a certain softness to his face. 

“Maybe.” 

Poe had liked Finn from the get go. People had told him that he trusted too quickly, and that he liked people even before he got to know them, and liked people until they gave him a reason to think otherwise. But he liked Finn a lot, and working with him on the fire in Endor made him like him even more. Finn had quickly been welcomed into the squad, a credit both to him and to the nature of the squad. But Poe was starting to like him even more. 

“So, why do you not want to be squad boss?” Finn asked him one day, when just the two of them were hiking.

“What makes you say that?” Poe couldn’t stop the way his voice came out guarded.

Finn bumped his shoulder against his. “L’ulo’s looking to retire and he’s always sending you in his place to comms meetings and talking to you as if you’re the leader. Leia introduced you to me as the hopeful squad boss. But everytime someone brings it up, you get all twitchy about it. Like just now.”

“I don’t get twitchy.” 

Finn stopped walking, and Poe had to stop to face him. “Yes, you do. You start fiddling with whatever you’re holding or retie your boots.” Finn started walking again. 

Poe sighed. Finn bumped his shoulder again. He fell in step with Finn. “I don’t know. It’s a lot of responsibility. This crew is my family. I don’t want anything to happen to them.” 

He paused. Finn didn’t press him, and they just kept walking. “I’m terrified that I’d lead everyone into a spot and get them hurt, or killed. I don’t know if I’m ready for the possibility of that.” 

Finn nodded, and gently squeezed his shoulder. “Leia and L’ulo seem to trust you and your leadership. So does the rest of the squad. Snap and Karé already support you, and as much Jess makes fun of you, she’d have your back. So would I.” 

After a pause, Poe nodded. “Thanks.” 

“Of course.” 

The day was warm, and the woods smelled nice. Poe breathed deeply, closing his eyes as he walked. He opened them to find Finn looking at him fondly. Finn quickly looked away, looking to the ground, blushing. Poe couldn’t help the smile of his own, which he directed towards the ground. 

They reached the small overlook on the trail. Finn took his water bottle out of his backpack, sipping it while Poe draped his arms over the railing. Finn put his water back, and then leaned against the railing next to Poe. His fingers tapped an uneasy rhythm against the wood as he looked at the view. 

“Okay, you asked me what was up earlier. It’s your turn.” Poe said softly. “What’s got you all nervous?” 

Finn sighed, ducking his head. “Not nervous. I just was thinking about what you said earlier.”

“Are you rescinding your support?” Poe was trying to set him at ease, and Finn snorted. 

“No. Just the thing about you don’t think you’re ready for the responsibility, that kind of thing.” He took a deep breath. “It’s a lot of responsibility, doing this. There’s a lot of things that can go wrong in this. When things go wrong,” he paused again. “I don’t know. They make you doubt yourself, at least in my case. I catch myself thinking that I’m not cut out for this, and it doesn’t matter that I’ve been doing this now for six years. I can’t help but think it’s my fault for what happened. I should have prepared better, or acted faster. I think about it and try to figure out what else I could have done, what would have prevented it.” 

“Finn, it was a bad landing. You did everything you could, and you managed to bring in a decent landing, as bad as it was. Everything you’ve told me about it, it _wasn’t_ your fault. You didn’t permanently hurt yourself, you managed to walk to the rest of your crew and give a decent medical report.” 

Finn nodded. “I know. I know that realistically, I did everything I could. Even Phasma said it was just the wind. She said it wasn’t my fault, but that’s only so much, you know?” 

Poe nodded. 

“I’m hardly a rookie at this point, but I just don’t want to fuck up again.” 

“I don’t think you will. You know what you’re doing and you always think things through. Plus, it wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.” 

Poe put his hand on Finn’s shoulder and left it there. Finn squeezed it gently. “Thanks for listening.” 

“Anytime, buddy.” 

The next fire was in Pasaana National Forest, which was a much farther drive than Endor had been. Poe drove for the majority of the journey, and Jess relegated herself to the backseat for much of it, instead of her usual spot in the passenger seat. Finn took her place, as he not only endured but enjoyed Poe’s dumb jokes and commentary on random things. 

“L’ulo and I have to go meet with Leia and command again, so normal stuff guys. Get your tents up and personal gear in them and just hold tight for a bit.” Poe glanced in the rearview mirror at the crew. Everyone was packing their stuff up, getting ready to head out. 

The next morning dawned with a smoky haze and a thick smell of smoke. Finn was up early. He got ready quickly, putting his smoky clothes on and heading out. He heard Poe’s watch beeping from his tent, so he sat in the grass to wait for him. 

Poe groaned. “Morning.” He ran a hand through his curls, and yawned. 

“Morning.” Without asking, Finn started walking, knowing Poe’d walk with him, towards the meal tent. 

It was still dark, as the sun hadn’t risen yet. The air was alive with the sound of birds, insects, and the rustle of the firefighters getting up. 

“It’s gonna be a scorcher today.” 

“Isn’t every day a scorcher when you’re on a hotline?” Poe snorted. “I think that’s where we’re going to be today, at least.” 

“They really are.” 

The rest of the crew found them in the meal tent, eating breakfast. Leia came over to give them their assignment. It was a hotline, as Poe had predicted. Leia gave them their briefing, and then they headed to the fire line. 

The fire crackled only a few feet away from where they started digging line. The pace was much faster than it had been the previous day. Jess’s chainsaw never stopped running as she cut shrubs and small trees back. Poe kept his head up, not letting himself get sucked into the rhythm of cutting line. The winds were light, but were supposed to pick up later in the afternoon. He was worried about embers jumping the line and starting another fire. The grass was dry, and with the winds picking up later, it was probable. 

The crew worked throughout the day. As Leia had said, the winds picked up. Poe had guessed correctly about the ember fires. 

“Snap, got a hotspot off to your right.” Poe called over to Snap. Snap turned, and thumped his pulaski against the ground until the ember was out. 

“Thanks, man.” 

By lunch time, everyone was tired. They’d made good progress with the line, and were working steadily to meet another crew. Jess pretty much inhaled her sandwich and then situated her chainsaw on her lap, sharpening the blade. Snap was using Karé’s leg as a pillow as he napped. Karé had her head on Finn’s shoulder and she was dozing as well. Finn looked tired, but he managed a brief smile when Poe looked at him. 

“It’s gotten warmer, my Garmin said it’s 85 degrees now.” Finn said. 

“Hey, how’d you know I was putting in the info?” Poe chuckled.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s me knowing you’re a huge nerd who does work on lunch breaks. And maybe it has something to do with the GPS and the radio and other equipment you’re balancing on your lap.” 

“You’ve got me there.”

“He knows you too well, Dameron.” Jess tightened the chain of the saw and put it down on the ground. “You work too much.”

“Debatable. But anyways, lunch is over folks.” He clapped his hands and Karé and Snap shifted. 

“Thanks, Finn. You’re a great pillow.” Karé yawned. She bumped her head against his shoulder in thanks, and then patted Snap’s head. “C’mon, babe.” 

Snap sighed, and stretched. He rolled on to his front and stood up. He offered a hand to Karé to help her up, who then helped Finn up. Poe helped Jess and her chainsaw up, and waited for them to get their bags back on and settled. He shifted from foot to foot, glancing at his map. “We’re still going to keep on this path until we can meet up with the other crew. They’re not too far and they just got out here, so they should be heading our way soon.” 

The crew dug in once more. They worked until the other crew was within reach. L’ulo and Poe went over to discuss things with their squad boss. Finn was too far from them to hear what was being said, but from Poe’s body language and gestures, he was explaining either what the crew had already done or where they were going with it. Finn dug his McLeod rake into the ground, glancing away from Poe to do his job. But this task was rather mindless at times, this being one of them, and he couldn’t help the way his gaze shifted back to Poe. The squad boss said something that L’ulo and Poe laughed at, and Finn couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. Next to him, Karé snorted. 

“You’ve got it bad, buddy.” 

“W-What?” 

Karé shook her head. “You’re not slick.” 

Finn’s jaw dropped. “I don’t have a thing for Poe!” 

“Are you sure?”

Finn felt his face heat up, something that had nothing to do with the work or the heat. “I think? Or, it’s very small. It’s a small crush.” 

Karé had the audacity to laugh. “I don’t think it is. Sorry, Finn.” 

Finn grumbled under his breath. Karé gave him a sideways glance, but didn’t say anything.

“Who knows, he might not even like guys,” 

“Are you kidding me?” Karé actually stopped moving for half a second. “Finn. He’s gay. He’s one of the gayest people I know.” 

“Okay, okay, that’s what I had _thought_ , but I didn’t want to assume?” 

“Oh my god.” 

“Okay, okay.” 

They worked in silence for some time, until Karé spoke up again. “I think you have a shot.” 

“Really?” 

“He watches you a lot. And it’s not a firefighting thing. He does other stuff, too.” 

“Like what?” 

“It’s your life, your crush. You’ve got to figure some of this out on your own.” Karé laughed. 

“I mean, he always waits for me in the mornings before breakfast. Or if I’m ready before him, he always gets out and just has this big smile.” 

Karé nodded, so Finn kept going. 

“When I was cleaning my boots last week, he sat outside with me. Not hovering or anything, he just wanted to talk. And it wasn’t work related. But he’s my friend, that’s what friends do.” 

“I can tell you this. He usually meets the rest of us at the breakfast tent. Even last year. If he’s worried about us, he’ll wait. You know how he’s a mother hen, but it’s not really often that he’ll wait for us. And it’s not like, an asshole thing. He’ll just see and talk to us at breakfast or on the line.” 

“Okay, but maybe he wants to make sure I’m comfortable with the crew.” 

“I think he knows that you’re way past being comfortable with everyone. You’re one of us and have been for a while.” 

“I know that, but does he?” 

“For sure.” 

L’ulo clapped Poe on the shoulder as they walked away. “It seems like it’s simple, relating information like that, but you know sometimes it’s harder than that. You’ve got the quantitative stuff, the coordinates, specific locations, but there’s all the qualitative stuff to say too. That was well done, Poe. Good job.”

“Thanks, L’ulo.” Poe sighed. “I just feel like I’m making shit up as I go along. All the time. 90% of the time I have no idea what I’m doing.” 

L’ulo tossed his head back and laughed. “Poe, no one does. I’ve been doing this for 25 years and sometimes I still don’t know what to do. You learn how to do some stuff. You learn how to fake other stuff. You’ll be fine. You can always ask others for guidance. No one’s going to expect you to know everything.” 

Poe sighed again. “I just feel like I have to.”

“Don’t.” 

“It’s not that easy.”

“No, it’s not. But it’s something you’ll always need to work on. What are we here for in this job, in this life, if we don’t want to improve?” 

“That was really poetic, are you okay?” 

“Goddamn you, kid.” L’ulo rolled his eyes at Poe. “You’re too much like your mom sometimes.” 

“I get what you mean though.” Poe said in a softer voice. “It’s just a big jump.” 

“I know, kiddo. You’ve got it though.” L’ulo paused. “If you want to talk about jumps though, talk to your man about that.” 

Poe's jaw dropped. "What?! He's not my man.”

"Maybe you should do something about that then. You look at him and you get this expression on your face and you look at him like he's hung the moon."

Finn chose that moment to walk up to them. He looked mildly embarrassed about something, but Poe couldn't dwell on that, too caught up in his own embarrassment. 

L'ulo was right, though. Finn listened intently to what L'ulo told the crew. Poe tried to pay attention to what he was saying, but it was info he'd just gone over and Finn still had a bit of the embarrassed expression on his face. Karé kicked Poe in the ankle at one point with a smirk. 

Poe knew Finn was cute. He knew he wanted to take Finn on dates and hear him laugh and watch him roll his eyes at Poe's bad jokes. Poe knew he wanted Finn to be in his life for a while. But he didn’t know if Finn felt the same way. 

Karé kicked him in the ankle again, and Poe turned to glare at her. She only smiled brighter. “Alright, so let’s go, folks.” L’ulo clapped his hands together and the crew started moving back towards the line. 

“You seemed a bit out of it there, Poe.” Karé smirked, bumping shoulders with Poe. He sighed. “I can’t get a break from you all.”

“Nope. You’re gonna have to wait until after the season for that.”

“How far away is November again?” Poe couldn’t help but grin.

“You’re tired of us already? We’re only like three months in!” Finn walked up to them. 

“Not you, Finn. I’m not tired of you. Just everyone else.”

“Aww. Thanks.” 

“I can’t deal with you two. I’m going to talk to my _husband_.” Karé shook her head as she walked away from Poe and Finn and towards Snap. 

“Alright then.” Poe glanced at Finn, eyebrows raised. 

“I think I know what that was about.” Finn had the same faintly embarrassed look he’d had earlier again. 

“Care to share?” 

Finn smiled ruefully at Poe. “Nope.” 

The next few days on the fire were exhausting. Dry conditions and hot temperatures continued, and so did the fire. Poe felt like he was constantly bouncing in between more boss type duties with L’ulo and his regular firefighting duties. It was a lot to deal with, but he felt for the most part like he was managing. L’ulo was trying his best to get him used to the duties while Poe still had his guidance and before L’ulo retired. 

He thought he was managing, and he really mostly was. But one day, after another long shift, he was just tired and frustrated. He left the crew where they were, sitting around a campfire, dozing and telling stories to walk around. Poe debated climbing on top of the crew hauler for a split second, but then remembered how pissed Leia had gotten the last time he did that. He resigned himself to sitting awkwardly on the bumper. He closed his eyes and let his head drop against the metal door. He took a deep breath, taking in the peaceful quiet. The sounds of the crews were muffled by the distance, and there was a hum of insects and other night creatures. 

Poe moved his head from the metal door to his hands, running his hands through his hair, gripping just this side of too tight. He took another deep breath, trying to calm down and lose the frustration. The air smelled smoky, but he could smell the grass and forest underneath the fire smell and he tried to ground himself with it. 

Poe’s head snapped up upon hearing the crunch of someone walking on gravel. Leia nodded at him. “Are you alright?” 

“Just tired. Frustrated.” 

“I can leave you alone, if you want.” 

Poe shook his head minutely. “It’s fine.” Leia nodded again, leaning against the side of the crew hauler. She didn’t speak. She knew she didn’t have to. Poe knew she didn’t have to. 

Leia had known his mom, been friends with his mom even. She’d been part of Poe’s life since he was a kid, and they both knew each other well enough to wait.

“I think I’m able to handle it. I think I am. I think I’m doing an okay job. That’s what L’ulo says. Jess hasn’t been giving me too much shit about anything other than normal. But right now I’m just pissed and I’m tired and I feel like I’m doing a shitty job of trying to be a leader.” Poe let go. 

“Do you think L’ulo or I became good leaders overnight? That we still don’t feel the same way you do, right now, sometimes? I still think sometimes I’m doing a shitty job of being a leader. Everyone’s faking it, Poe. And besides, Poe. You’re not going to become a great leader overnight. You already are a great leader. You just have to trust in yourself.”

“That’s what everyone says but it’s still hard.” 

“Of course it’s hard! No one ever said it was easy to be a leader when you don’t know if you’re right for the job. But we see something in you, Poe. It’s not just L’ulo and I that see you’re ready for this.” 

“I wish I could see in myself what you guys see in me.” Poe mumbled. Leia patted his shoulder gently. “I wish you could, too. But until you do, we’re going to be here on the side supporting you.” 

“Thanks, Leia.” 

“Of course. I’m really proud of you.” 

Her hand was still resting on his shoulder, so Poe reached up and gently squeezed it. 

They sat on the bumper for a while longer, both taking in in the peace away from the noise of the crews. Eventually, Leia sighed. “I should get back to command. You should probably get back to your crew.”

“Are they waiting for you in command?” Poe sounded mildly panicked. “You didn’t leave anything too important for me, did you?”

“First of all, you’re worth it to me. And second of all, no. Galen from Grange National Forest had a card game going.” 

“Oh, okay. I love that command acts they’re so professional and you guys are still playing card games while on a fire.” 

Leia shook her head at him. “We have fun sometimes too. Our work is done for right now, same as yours. Don’t forget that I can kick your ass at rummy. Take care.”

“You too.” 

They parted ways. The crew looked up when Poe walked up. “Hey, we were just wondering where you disappeared to.” Karé said. “Jess was starting to get worried that she’d have no one to fight with.”

“Don’t worry, Jessie. You’ll always have me to fight with.” Poe grinned, stepping out of the way of Jess’s kick. 

“I’ll leave you here if you call me that again.” 

They all laughed, and Poe sat down in between Jess and Finn. Snap continued whatever story he’d been telling before Poe had shown up. Finn leaned close to Poe. “You okay? You did disappear for a while, and I know you’d been kinda frustrated today.”

“I’m okay, really. Just got a bit overwhelmed, but I’m okay now.” 

Finn studied his face for a second, then nodded. “Glad you’re feeling better.” 

Poe smiled at him, bumping his leg against Finn’s gently. Poe watched the small smile spread on his face, the way the campfire reflected in his dark eyes, the way he looked so comfortable in his crew sweatshirt and how he just in general looked comfortable with where he was. He had a relaxed air about him. Finn had started the season with a sort of nervous energy constantly, although it had been incredibly well hidden. Poe probably wouldn’t have noticed if he didn’t pay so much attention to Finn. But he did, and he’d noticed Finn coming to terms with his accident and becoming more confident again. 

“You’re staring.” Finn said quietly enough that the others in the circle couldn’t hear. 

“Sorry.” 

Finn gently put his hand on Poe’s knee. “I don’t mind.” 

“Hey, Bespin! You’ve gotta go!” Someone shouted from a distance. Instantly, the air changed. Poe immediately scrambled to his feet. The person approached. It was Galen Erso, one of the supervisors. “You’re getting put back on the line. Leia’s busy and she’s having me tell you guys. There’s winds coming in and the temperature is rising up there. The crews that are there are still working. Sorry you didn’t get more time to relax and sleep, but you all know how it is.” 

Jess kicked out the fire, and Finn and Snap grabbed gear bags. Poe filled water bottles and L’ulo and Galen discussed. Within five minutes, the crew was ready. Poe glanced over at Finn as they hiked back towards the line. None of the relaxed energy was there anymore, and Finn’s mouth was in a set line. Poe knew that Finn had every reason to be like this. They all did. Fires like this could get dangerous. It was harder to see escape routes and possible danger spots in the dark. Even with everything staying safe, as if that could be guaranteed, the work was hard. 

There is an ominous glow to a wildfire in the night. It’s an otherwise shadow filled landscape that is suddenly enriched in a bright sea of yellows and reds and there’s a crackle to it that fills your being. The smell of it hits every fiber of your soul. It’s haunting and it’s beautiful. 

Finn tightened his grip on his pulaski ever so, surveying the fire. He could faintly make out another crew working, light from his headlight bouncing off reflective stripes. They were working rapidly, heading east. L’ulo nodded. “We’re heading the opposite direction of them. It’s just gonna be us for a little bit. We’re gonna hold tight and stick close to each other. Watch out for each other, this is nothing you all haven’t done before.”

They fell into the fireline. The fire was crackling and the thump of the pulaskis and the McLeod rakes did nothing to help the tremble in Poe’s hands like it sometimes did. An undercurrent of real teeth gritting stress ran through Poe, and probably the entire crew. The fire was only a few feet away, crackling and snapping ominously. Having a healthy respect for fire was important, but on nights like these, the balance of respect and fear tipped ever so slightly more towards fear. 

Finn dragged dirt back, stepped, dragged dirt, stepped. He zeroed in on his tasks as much as he could, but kept looking up, kept his eyes on the fire, his ears out for wind or L’ulo or Poe’s shouted directions. 

“Fuck, I think it’s gonna jump the line ahead of us!” Karé shouted. As Finn looked up, he saw fire gaining a bit past Karé, right where they’d been planning on continuing the fire line. 

“Move back, keep going. If we can get ahead of it safely, go for it.” L’ulo responded. Finn jogged some distance back away from the fire and started digging again. “There’s a little valley behind us, so if it jumps this line we’ve gotta watch out.” Finn yelled, glancing over his shoulder. 

“That’s both good and bad, if we can get any protection in there if we need to, but gotta figure out if it’s gonna go into a crown fire on us or not.” Poe said, gritting his teeth. Finn’d dealt with crown fires before, they were amazing and terrifying at the same time. They were what happened when entire trees caught on fire and the tops of them caught other trees on fire. They spread quickly and were dangerous and unpredictable. 

“Let’s hope this holds and we don’t have to worry about it.” The crew worked quickly, the first line holding. They managed to cut a new fire break before the section that had moved in front of Karé, but the wind picked up. L’ulo stepped back from the line, behind the crew, watching the fire, talking quickly on his radio.

“This wind’s gonna keep up. We’re getting back because this is gonna get shitty real quick.” As soon as he said it, the fire jumped the first line. Poe looked at the landscape, trying to figure out if they had an escape route. There was the tiny valley that Finn had mentioned, but other than that it was a downhill back towards where they’d gone from camp, and other minor ups and downs in the flattish landscape. “If we can get over that ridge to the left of us, we can get out of here. But it’s gonna have to be quick.” Poe shouted. L’ulo nodded. The crew moved out quickly towards the ridge, keeping eyes on the fire. Finn felt that sharp jut of fear in his stomach as he hustled towards the ridge. He felt the hot wind blowing and his stomach dropped further. This wasn’t good. 

The ridge was closer and closer, but so was the fire. Poe was off to the side of the crew, near the front, and suddenly spun around. His face was full of fear and determination. “We’re not gonna make it. L’ulo, it’s gonna be too late for us to get over that.” L’ulo agreed. Poe said clearly but with a shaking voice, “Everyone, get down that little embankment and deploy your fire shelters. 

Finn’s brain went on autopilot. He reached and unzipped the pocket under his bag that held his and everyone else’s only chance at survival, the shiny fire shelter that was supposed to reflect the heat of the flames. Poe looked at him as he did the same, mouth moving but no words coming out. Finn wished desperately they had time for words, words Finn had been putting off saying. He hoped the look he gave Poe in that brief, terrifying second was enough. He didn’t have time for more than that. Within twenty seconds of Poe giving the command, Finn was on the ground, breathing through his respirator and huddled under his blanket. 

Poe was the same, feeling the panic flooding his body. Was this it for them? How long was the burnover going to last, was the fire too hot for the shelters, were they going to be okay? And a bit of anger at himself. Here he was, huddled under a fire shelter, hoping to hell his crew didn’t die and hoping to hell that he didn’t die. He’d never gotten to tell Finn how he’d felt. 

“Hang in there, folks.” L’ulo’s muffled voice broke through fear. The crackling grew exponentially louder and under the blanket Poe really began to sweat. The fire was just about on them, now burning over top of them. Poe heard Finn talking to himself and felt his heart break. “I’m sorry, Finn.” 

“S’not your fault. You didn’t know.”

“I fucked up. I’ve got something I have to tell you, Finn, I need you to know I -” 

“No. Stop talking, save your oxygen. This isn’t the end of it.” Finn begged. “Don’t say anything more.”

Poe dropped his head against the dirt, inhaling in through his respirator. He kept his eyes closed as the heat got warmer and warmer and the crackling and fire sounds got more aggressive. 

Time passed. Poe had no idea how much had passed, caught up in the panic. The crackling subsided, the heat subsided. He could hear L’ulo talking on the radio. “Who’s with me?” Poe shouted as best he could. Each one of his crewmates responded. “Everyone okay?” Everyone sounded shaken but alright. L’ulo’s voice came loudly again. “They know where we’re at. The fire’s mostly over us, but we’re staying tight until they’re sure it’s over. Is everyone okay to hike out?” 

“Yes, sir.” They waited longer, until an all clear came through everyone’s radios. Poe kicked off his fire shelter, looking around quickly. He stood up, shoving the shelter back into his pack. Finn stood, doing the same. They’d ended up close to each other, the rest of the crew a bit farther back. Finn pulled off his respirator to inhale more deeply, and Poe, without thinking, yanked up his own respirator and grabbed Finn, kissing him deeply. Finn made a noise of surprise, but returned the favor. They broke apart. “We can’t do this right now, Poe, just.” Finn looked at him and Poe suddenly knew, it finally dawned on him, that maybe it wasn’t just him. “Let’s get out of here first, okay?” Finn pleaded. 

Poe nodded. The rest of the crew was up and standing, and they walked over. Everyone shared concerned glances, vestiges of panic sweat on everyone’s faces. “We’re hiking the fuck out of here. It’s just three miles. Let’s move.” 

The last three miles were the hardest three miles Poe and Finn had ever hiked. By all accounts, it should have been easy, it was mostly downhill and flat, but they both were rattled and exhausted. Soon the camp loomed in the distance and everyone was too exhausted to celebrate. They shuffled into camp, got brief medical checks and a lookover from Leia, and crawled into their tents. Finn dropped his boots next to his tent when Poe appeared. He’d been with L’ulo and Leia had taken longer to talk to them than the rest of the crew. Poe dropped down next to Finn and undid his own boots. Finn draped an arm over him, holding him tightly. Poe tucked his head against Finn’s shoulder and took a deep shuddering breath. “C’mon, get some sleep.” Finn patted his head. 

“Can I.” Poe faltered and shook his head. “Goodnight, Finn.” 

Finn ducked into his tent, then grabbed Poe. Poe sagged against Finn’s chest, squeezing his hand. “Night, Poe.” Finn whispered, holding Poe tightly. 

The next morning, Finn woke up first. Poe was still holding onto his hand, and he woke Poe up by accident. Finn wrinkled his nose. “You smell.” 

That got a startled, groggy morning laugh from Poe. “You think you don’t?” 

“Oh, no, I know I do. I’m getting up and showering.” 

“Might as well.” Poe scrubbed a hand over his face, raking it through his mussed curls. 

It wasn’t as early, probably six or so, and by the time Poe was out of the shower, Finn was done and waiting for him. Finn felt about a thousand times better, with most of the soot and sweat off and a fresh t-shirt and pants. Finn was watching the orange sunrise when Poe joined him. Poe was in a clean crew shirt and a clean pair of his Nomex pants. “Think anyone else is up?” Finn asked quietly.

“From our crew? No. Leia’s sending us home anyways.” Poe squeezed Finn’s shoulder. “I’d kill for a decent cup of coffee right now.” 

“C’mon, let’s get food.” 

The rest of the crew roused themselves by seven, showered and ate. Leia sent them home, and everyone packed their stuff back into the crew hauler. The crew drove in shifts to drive the more than twenty hour drive home. Poe’s second shift was in the middle of the night. The highway was empty, and Finn was in the passenger’s seat. The rest of the crew was asleep in the backseats. The radio was quiet and Finn felt the right level of sleepy contentedness. Poe sighed. “Yeah, but anyways. I think that Mamma Mia should have had a third movie.” 

“Like a trilogy? Like most Marvel movies?” 

“Yeah! Exactly. Or like, I dunno, Twilight.” 

“Did you really compare Twilight to Mamma Mia? I thought Mamma Mia was your favorite movie and you hate Twilight.”

“Oh god, they’re completely different leagues. But Twilight’s a trilogy.”

Finn snickered. “Okay, bud.” 

Poe risked a glance from the road, grinning at him. “It is! I don’t know, what other trilogies are there?” 

“You’re ridiculous.” Poe continued on about Mamma Mia, but Finn zoned out a little bit, watching Poe. His face was lit up a little bit from the instrument panel of the truck and from the occasional streetlight. He was beautiful. His curls were a mess and he had stubble growing, but he was the most beautiful man Finn’d ever seen. Not to mention he was one of the kindest and bravest. 

“Right?” Poe glanced at him again. Finn had a slight smile on his face, a bit out of it still. 

“What? Do I have coffee on me or something?” That broke Finn out of it, and he laughed quietly. “No, you’re good.”

“You haven’t heard anything I’ve been saying, I’m guessing.” 

Finn smiled. “Sorry. You lost me a bit there. You look really pretty in the headlights.” 

A slow smile spread itself over Poe’s face. 

“I think I love you.” Finn said, quietly, letting the words go out in the quiet crew hauler.  
Poe’s grin widened. “I think I love you too. I wasn’t sure at first if you did too.” 

Finn snorted, louder this time. “I thought you didn’t have a thing for me.”

“God, I’ve had a thing for you since I saw you in Leia’s office.” 

“Please look at the road.” Finn warned. Poe obliged, and Finn leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Poe turned his head briefly and kissed Finn on the mouth, feeling Finn smile against his mouth.

“Okay, no more of that. You’ve gotta drive and I’ve gotta keep you awake.” Finn backed away. He did thread their fingers together. 

Poe grinned at him again, before turning his attention back on the long road ahead of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are Extremely welcome. There's bound to be a lot more little one shots based on this!
> 
> Cognomen and MayGlenn wrote great wildland fire au called "We Didn't Start The Fire" which if you liked this, you'll definitely like that.
> 
> In terms of actual, real life firefighting, there's a lot of interesting info out there. These people risk their lives and mental health to keep fires in our public lands contained. Most wildland firefighters, hotshots, handcrews, smokejumpers, so on, don't get paid very much and don't have the best healthcare. It's a really draining position on mental health because they're away from their families so much. For good info on wildland firefighters and what they go through, check out The Anchor Point Podcast, Life with Fire Podcast, or this article [here](https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.8/south-bureau-of-land-management-wildland-firefighters-are-risking-their-mental-health) to find out more. I wanted to write this fic because I thought it was fun, and it was! But I do also want to share information haha. Thanks for reading!


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